KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 21 — Tasik Kenyir, located in Hulu Terengganu, will receive investments worth RM800 million from China next year, said Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said.

The largest man-made lake in Southeast Asia is now being aggressively developed by the state government as a free trade zone (FTZ), which will become another attractive location in the state that will be developed as the best tourist destination in the Asian region.

Ahmad said the investor from China was interested to develop housing project, resort and hotel at Sungai Ketiar, Tasik Kenyir, which is located by the lake and not far from the road.

“The natural beauty of the area has its own commercial value which continues to be the focus of big foreign investors, and efforts to develop it as a tourist destination is fitting, with mega projects that have been planned,” he said.

He said this in a media conference after handing over the Terengganu Foundation’s education assistance to 1,623 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) students here today.

He however declined to divulge details on the investment until a memorandum of understanding is signed, which is expected in the near future.

Tasik Kenyir, which spans 65,417 hectares, will have a duty free complex and customs complex in Pulau Bayas, besides the development of a chain of buildings which will sell quality products under the concept of factory outlets.

Apart from the FTZ, Ahmad also proposed the idea involving the development of 10 parks in three phases from 2008 to 2015, namely bird park, tropical park, orchid park, butterfly park, botany park, rambutan park, heliconia park, ecopark, cactus park and grape park.

“With the various natural elements, Tasik Kenyir is a tourism asset for Terengganu as it is still fresh and not fully explored, making it as the investment destination at present.

“The state government is also prepared to give cooperation in strategic collaboration with investors if it is able to generate economic growth for the state,” he said. — Bernama